June Release & Giveaway: Nasty by R.L. Kenderson

R.L. Kenderson is here today to share the release of her new romance, Nasty! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Nasty

Author: R.L. Kenderson

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About Nasty:

Piper Stevens had already metâand lostâthe love of her life. When she buried her husband, she buried her chance for a happily ever afterâ¦but also found a shoulder to lean on in Nate. As a commitment-phobe womanizer, Nate Hall has never had a female as a friend, but he made a promise to his buddy before he passed. Take care of Piper. And these days? He canât imagine his life without her. Now, a year later, things Piper thought were long gone are beginning to come back. Like her previously healthy libido. Except she can't picture dating someone in her husband's place, nor can she sleep with a stranger either. So, she turns to Nate. After all, he's the perfect choice. He's her friend but also a player. He cares about her but they'll never fall in loveâ¦and she wonât get hurt. Not like she did when she lost her husband. But can two friends give their bodies without involving their hearts and things turning nasty?

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Exclusive Excerpt:

Piper and Jordan had moved to the area in January the previous year, and when they had first moved, it had been all about getting situated. Jordan had settled into his new job while Piper had to search for her own. Then, before she had known it, it had been May, and she was a widow.

After that had come his funeral and sorting out all the paperwork after someone passed, all while trying to deal with grief. For a while, the only people Piper had seen outside of work were her mom and Nate. She had just wanted to be left alone. Socializing took too much energy.

But sheâd slowly started coming back to life a few months ago, and that was when Nate had really started bringing his friends around. She knew heâd been afraid that sheâd be lonely with no family in the area. She felt like she was almost back to normal. Well, her new normal because she was never going to be the same person she had been before Jordan passed away.

And, now, she was grateful that Nate had introduced her to Elise. The two of them got along great, and while Nate was her best friend, sometimes, a lady just needed some girl time. They still didnât know each other that well, but Piper hoped that could change.

Nate and Luke burst through the front door, shirtless, sweaty, and laughing. They went straight to the food without a word to either of the women and dug in like they hadnât eaten for a week. Neither of them bothered to sit either; both stood on the other side of the counter.

âNo, you donât have to get up,â Elise protested, also rising from her seat.

âYes, I do. My mother would pass out from shame if I didnât take care of my company.â

Elise sat back down and laughed. âI understand.â

She looked around to the two guys. âWater okay with you guys, too?â she asked as she walked around to Nate and Lukeâs side.

âI can get my own, you know,â Nate said.

It was true. He wasnât really a guest in her home anymore. He raided her fridge whenever he was hungry and helped himself to whatever he needed without asking anymore.

âThatâs okay,â she said as she opened the cupboard and reached up for the glasses.

But Nate went for them at the same time she did. As he reached from behind her, she felt his naked chest against her back. A tingle went down her spine, straight to her belly, and she dropped her hands to the counter as she tried to fight a slight tremor.

Apparently, her libido hadnât died with Jordan. It had just gone dormant. And she didnât know what to do with it if it was coming back.

About R.L. Kenderson:

R.L. Kenderson is two best friends writing under one name. Renae has always loved reading, and in third grade, she wrote her first poem where she learned she might have a knack for this writing thing. Lara remembers sneaking her grandmotherâs Harlequin novels when she was probably too young to be reading them, and since then, she knew she wanted to write her own. When they met in college, they bonded over their love of reading and the TV show Charmed. What really spiced up their friendship was when Lara introduced Renae to romance novels. When they discovered their first vampire romance, they knew there would always be a special place in their hearts for paranormal romance. After being unable to find certain storylines and characteristics they wanted to read about in the hundreds of books they consumed, they decided to write their own. One lives in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and the other in the Kansas City area where theyâre a sonographer/stay-at-home mom/wife and pharmacist/mother by day, and together theyâre a sexy author by night. They communicate through phone, email, and whole lot of messaging. You can find them at http://www.rlkenderson.com, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, and Goodreads. Join their Facebook Reader Group. Or you can email them at rlkenderson@rlkenderson.com, or sign up for their newsletter here. They always love hearing from their readers.

I decided that I’m going to give myself credit for this challenge if I do any kind of writing. I was trying to stick to counting only when I work on my WiP novel. In this case I did better than last week.

In this challenge we need to hold ourselves accountable to write more by setting goals and encouraging each other. Each week we will be posting our progress and setting new goals. This RSW event is being hosted by Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, Erin Funk, and Jaime Morrow.

I can’t seem to get it together. I’ve seemed to be blogging more than writing these days, but guess as long as I’m still creating that’s good.

In this challenge we need to hold ourselves accountable to write more by setting goals and encouraging each other. Each week we will be posting our progress and setting new goals. This RSW event is being hosted by Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, Erin Funk, and Jaime Morrow.

Here is my progress:1. How I did on last week’s goals:

I didn’t work on my own work at all this week.

2. My goal(s) for this week:

Write every day!

3. A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised:

One explosive encounter brought them together.One infatuation led to a love like no other.One secret tore them apart.As head of the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau in Manhattan, Chief Detective Mason Cole walks in the line of fire every day. Between dodging bullets and braiding his daughter’s hair, Mason is tormented with haunting memories that refuse to relinquish control over him, no matter how hard he tries. After a bust gone wrong, he’s thrown for a loop by a woman who will fill his life with more chaos than ever before.

Lindsey Jenkins is a self-made woman. Bold and independent, she lives unapologetically in a life of deception. That is until her facade is threatened by a force stronger than anything she’s ever felt before—love.

Leaving their hearts unguarded could lead to destruction. Even worse, it could expose them both to a war they never saw coming.

In a city coerced by corruption and treachery, what happens when your greatest passion becomes your biggest weakness?

﻿Excerpt﻿

Telling the women to come to the precinct, I can already see the irritation grow in Lindsey.“Why? We had nothing to do with what happened in there.”

I interrupt, moving to stand beside my partner, shoulders tall, preparing for further argument from the firecrackers in front of me. “Ladies, while you may not have been intentionally involved in today’s events, you are both now witnesses. Meaning, you need to accompany us down to the precinct so we can get your statements. If all appears to be in order, you’ll then be free to leave.”

Almost immediately I feel the agitation directed at Roam shift, radiating my way instead. I meet Lindsey’s glare with the same intensity, and she never falters, not once. She doesn’t cower like most people do when on the receiving end of my frustration. She stiffens, but remains steady, a powerhouse of determination and strength. The silent conversation passing between us lets me know exactly the kind of woman I’m dealing with.

The female version of myself.Lindsey turns away and sighs, her shoulders dropping. But as she clears her throat and faces me once again, that fiery attitude holds strong through the depths of her gaze. I can’t help a smirk from breaking out. The satisfying feeling that I might actually be getting under her skin overtakes my professionalism. Forgetting all about Roamyn or Alison, I get in her space; close enough to smell the scent I’m craving so badly.

“Or, Miss Jenkins, I can cuff you and make you come in anyway,” I whisper softly and shove my hands in the pockets of my pants, restraining myself from reaching out to her. Lindsey’s tongue darts out and she licks her lips, causing all the blood to flow straight from my brain and to my cock. Her muscles lose tension and her eyes soften, I take it my message was received. Good. If we were in another place, a casual situation, a different time, maybe for just one night I could revel in the warmth of this beautiful woman and for a moment, obliterate the nightmares hijacking my life.Mirroring my action, Lindsey leans in and I do my best to hide the shiver of pleasure being in her presence brings.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you, Detective?” She peers up, radiating confidence, as if she’s got one over me. She crosses her arms over her chest, accentuating her tits, which I’m sure is supposed to distract me but it doesn’t. Instead I scowl at her. With my head tilted to the side I hold her stare, too mesmerized by her approach, confused by the sentiment. Damn, I thought I had her.

“I—”

“You know, I’ve met a lot of men just like you. I’ve never been interested in arrogant assholes before and I sure as hell am not interested now. So either you show us to the precinct so we can give our damn statements and go home, or I’ll kindly ask your partner here”—Lindsey smiles at Roam—“Detective Miller, is it?”

“Yes, ma’am.” The bastard grins, nodding eagerly.

“Right. I’ll ask Detective Miller if he could show us the way.” She tilts her head inquisitively as she speaks, stirring every raw nerve in my body; her tone sweet, yet full of sarcasm.

“Well that escalated quickly,” Alison quips, breaking the tension building so quickly around us. Roam chuckles beside me and I just know he’ll be mocking me about Lindsey’s smartass attitude later.

Reaching around to grab her sister’s side, Lindsey envelopes Alison and whispers, “Come on, babe. Let’s get this over with.” That day our worlds collided with a violent crash, the impact stronger than either of us could have ever imagined. We didn’t realize until the damage was done and we had more than just broken bones.

About The Author

"Mother. Lover. Dreamer."

Ivy Stone is an Australian author and self-confessed lover of alpha males and happily ever afters. Getting lost in a fictional world is how she discovered her passion for writing. When she isn’t daydreaming up new romantic stories she’s likely to be found spending time with her family.

Ivy’s debut novel ‘Exposed’ is to be released on October 20th 2015. This is the first instalment in the Unguarded series.

Ivy loves to hear from her readers, you can visit or contact her here:

Talia Merchant dropped the idea of a forever kind of love after the first guy she loved stole not only her heart, but he also took her virginity….and then he took off. Now, busy with caring for her father and trying to save her teen shelter, Talia doesn’t need the messy entanglements that come with real relationships she doesn’t have time for. But after a mysterious benefactor saves her free clinic and reveals himself…everything changes. Donovan Lore doesn’t just want in Talia’s bed, which is the only thing she offers —he wants inside her heart and he doesn’t care what type of fight Talia puts up. He’s determined to break through every one of her walls until she’s pliable and needy in his hands and writhing beneath him. And Donovan always gets what he wants.

My Review

Enflameis book three in the Affair Series. It has new characters and can be read as a standalone but it does cross paths with the characters in the first two books, so I would recommend reading them first.Right from the beginning I knew this was going to be a good read. The first two chapters were written really well where I got a great feel for what kind of character Talia was going to be. Her personality came out easily in the writing. I could feel how desperate her situation was and how much pressure she was under. When Donovan was introduced, I felt like I liked him more than I should. So I was drawn right in.The author kept hitting the mark with the buildup sexual tension she was creating between Talia and Donovan. S. Layne created scenes that were extremely sexy while balancing it with the progression of the story. Of course sex is a big part of the novel with it being an erotica but it didn’t take away from the plot. There wasn’t a spotlight on the physical aspect of their relationship which was smart writing.I will absolutely keep an eye out for any future work of S. Layne.I give Enflame 4 out of 5 stars.

About S. Layne

Layne currently lives in Minnesota with her husband and four children. When she’s not conquering mountains of laundry and fighting a war against dust bunnies and cracker crumbs, you can find her playing with her children, curled up on the couch with a good book, or on the boat with her family enjoying Minnesota’s beautiful, yet too short, summer.She lives off her daily pot of coffee, can only write with a bowlful of Skittles nearby, and has been in love with romance novels since before she could drive herself to the library.

Lies. Betrayal. Deceit. Carter knows them all too well. His whole life was based on them. He decided long ago that his life would be on his own terms. No one would dictate his future, since he'd had no control over his past.

Desire. Lust. Love.

Julia is the bosses' daughter. She's everything that Carter wants, and nothing that he thinks he needs. She's got plans of her own, and Carter is one of them.

Both determined to control their own paths, can she show him what his future could be like if he just lets go, or will he send her BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD?

Excerpt

“You called for me, Ms. Gibbons?” Carter stepped up to the desk. “I finished those plans you wanted done. Would you like me to show them to you?”

Oh, he was good at this. “Yes I would, Mr. McIntyre. I hope they are to my satisfaction.”

“You’re going to have to get up and let me get to your computer so I can pull them up.” Of course, we had no computer, but I went with it. I stood, pushing the chair back as Carter walked around and stood behind me. He leaned over.

“Oh yes, the plans. I’m going to need you to move this way so I can get to the computer.” I shifted, and he placed his hands on my hips. “No. This way.” He pulled me into him so there was no space in between us. “Do you like these plans?” he growled into my ear, grinding against me.

“They may need a few adjustments,” I said, turning to face him. His eyes followed my fingers as I began to unbutton my jacket. “Is this acceptable?”

“These plans need further investigation.” He removed my fingers and continued unbuttoning the jacket himself. I thought I was losing control, and fast. Thing was, I didn’t care. He reached the last button and the jacket fell open. Carter gripped the lapels of my jacket and pulled me to him, taking my lips with his. He let go, snaking his arms under the jacket and to my naked body underneath.

“These plans are almost perfect,” he whispered against my lips. “Turn around.” Need clenched low in my belly as I listened. He pulled my hair from it’s bun and it cascaded around me. He fisted it gently, pulling me back so he could reach around and kiss my neck.

“Mr. McIntyre,” I purred. “I didn’t know I had this type of plans.”

“You do now,” he said. “This fine body in this jacket; you’re going to get all sorts of plans, Ms. Gibbons.” He lifted the jacket, caressing my body and making me almost pant with need. “But first, there’s one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

“The plans can’t be complete with this boulder in the way. We’re going to have to remove it.” When he began pulling on the jacket, I assisted, shoving it down my shoulders and arms. It fell in between us on the floor and he kicked it away. “Oh yes. The extraction of that boulder now makes the plans ready to go.”

“Not exactly. Mr. McIntyre. There’s one more thing that must be done first.” I reached around and tugged the towel until it joined the jacket on the floor. “There. Now plans are set.”

“Oh yes, that’s good, Ms. Gibbons. I like a lady that remembers all the details. Now, lean over the desk and hold the edge.” I did as he said, leaning over and closing my eyes, ready for him. Beyond ready. His hands roamed my body, starting at my ankles and moving north, stopping so he could grip my bottom and then he moved up to my back and shoulders. “Perfection. Your body is better than the best architectural design any man could come up with. It’s a masterpiece.”

About The Author

LL Collins is a teacher who loves spending her days in the Florida sun with her husband and boys, reading, and writing. Her love of writing has found a home in the self-publishing world. The Living Again series: Living Again, Reaching Rachel, Guarding Hearts, Finding Forever, and Breaking Free: A Living Again Novella are available now in both eBook and paperback. The Twisted Series, consisting of both Twisted Souls and Twisted Paths, is available now exclusively on Amazon.LL has been writing since she was old enough to write. Always a story in her head, she finally decided to let the characters out to try to make her lifelong dreams of becoming an author come true. She has been a teacher for over ten years, a wife for 15, and a mom to two boys, 13 and 11.

This week was yet another bad week for me. I managed to write 2 days this week. Let’s home it gets better instead of worst. Good luck to everyone!

In this challenge we need to hold ourselves accountable to write more by setting goals and encouraging each other. Each week we will be posting our progress and setting new goals. This RSW event is being hosted by Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, Erin Funk, and Jaime Morrow.

Here is my progress:

1.How I did on last week’s goals:

2 out of 7

2.My goal(s) for this week:

Write every day!

3.A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised:

I revised a scene were two of my main characters are playing pool.

4.The biggest challenge I faced this week:

It was making other plans instead of sitting and writing.

5.Something I love about my WiP:

Creating a steady way for my characters to develop feelings for each other

On a side note: I'm trying to transition from using Weebly to Blogger so I'm also posting this on my new blog. Check it out here: avidreads.blogspot.com

I received this ARC of Embrace by S. Layne from Book Enthusiast Promotions through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Liam Parker crash landed into Laurie’s life when everything else was crumbling all around her. Her marriage and career were in pieces and her mind was left spinning.

But one touch from Liam, and Laurie could forget everything else around her.

She thought she had it all figured out.

As Laurie lost herself in Liam’s warm caresses and his commanding blue eyes, her husband refused to go quietly into the night. While Laurie fought to move on, it was James who was working his way back into her life, fighting for the marriage they had once held dear.

Forced to make choices she never imagined having to make, Laurie finally found herself on firm footing, knowing which way she was going to turn.

It’s week 4 in the challenge and I’m embarrassed to say it’s been my worst week. It’s been one of the busiest summers that I can recall but I definitely need to step up my game to feel like I accomplished something this summer. I’m hoping to make this week a better one.

In this challenge we need to hold ourselves accountable to write more by setting goals and encouraging each other. Each week we will be posting our progress and setting new goals. This RSW event is being hosted byAlison Miller, Katy Upperman, Erin Funk, and Jaime Morrow.

Here is my progress:

1.How I did on last week’s goals:

I only wrote 1 day out of the week. :(

2.My goal(s) for this week:

Write every day!

3.A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised:

“You want one?” He raises his eyebrow as if daring me. I narrow my eyes at him. “Never mind,” he says raising his hands in surrender and then lighting his cigarette.

4.The biggest challenge I faced this week:

Not enough hours in a day.

5.Something I love about my WiP:

Even though I didn’t have a stellar week, I still feel like my piece is coming along.

She's a liar. He knows the truth.Teagan Walker gets arou﻿nd. Ask anyone—hell, ask her. She'll own it with a smile. But beneath that smile is a girl whose parents didn't want her. Whose grandparents raised her without affection. Whose struggle with a burning anger threatens to consume her, though she'd rather punch someone in the face than talk about it. With a new job looming, she's determined to work her way into a better life. When she meets the sexiest guy she's ever seen, she decides to kick it off with a bang. And she makes her move. But he's got moves of his own, and before the night is out, he strips her of way more than she means to reveal—without removing a single piece of clothing. That comes, too, of course. He's gotten under her skin like nobody before him, and what's the harm in one night with a sexy stranger? Exposed or not, she never has to see him again.

Except she does.

On Monday morning, they come face-to-face. He's the son of her new CEO—and he threatens to bring her entire world crashing down, making her face every lie she's ever told.

Truth & Temptation is the third standalone book in Riley Edgewood's Summer Love series.

It’s week 3 in the challenge and I believe I did better than last week. In this challenge we will need to hold ourselves accountable to write more by setting goals and encouraging each other. Each week we will be posting our progress and setting new goals. Here is my progress:

1.How I did on last week’s goals:

I didn’t write everyday but I did do 5 days which I think is pretty good considering what I was doing before.

2.My goal(s) for this week:

I’m sticking with, write every day!

3.A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised:

“I was afraid of what I was starting to feel for you. I panicked,” he slides one hand around my waist, placing the other tenderly on my face.

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week:﻿

I feel like I have holes in my plot which will require another draft before I can give it to someone to read.

5.Something I love about my WiP:

The more I write, the clearer the direction of where I want this piece to go is.

I'm very happy with my start on this challenge. Yesterday I finished revising a chapter and moved on to the next. I did some more work on a new chapter. I won’t be posting an update every day since I figured it was going to get repetitive and it will take some time away from writing. Instead I will keep a log to share on each Monday for the check in.

I discovered Riley Edgewood through Netgalley when I receive an Advanced Reading Copy for the firs book in the Summer Love Series, Rock & Release (Summer Love, #1). Her new novel and part of the series isexpected to come out on July 23, 2015. Check out the synopsis below. This one is a must read!

Teagan Walker gets around. Ask anyone—hell, ask her. She'll own it with a smile. But beneath that smile is a girl whose parents didn't want her. Whose grandparents raised her without affection. Whose struggle with a burning anger threatens to consume her, though she'd rather punch someone in the face than talk about it. With a new job looming, she's determined to work her way into a better life. When she meets the sexiest guy she's ever seen, she decides to kick it off with a bang. And she makes her move.

But he's got moves of his own, and before the night is out, he strips her of way more than she means to reveal—without removing of a single piece of clothing. That comes, too, of course. He's gotten under her skin like nobody before him, and what's the harm in one night with a sexy stranger? Exposed or not, she never has to see him again.

Except she does.

On Monday morning, they come face-to-face. He's the son of her new CEO—and he threatens to bring her entire world crashing down, making her face every lie she's ever told.

Truth & Temptation is the third book in Riley Edgewood's Summer Love series, but can be read as a standalone.

This summer I’m taking part in the Ready. Set. Write! Challenge. In this challenge we will need to hold ourselves accountable to write more by setting goals and encouraging each other. Each week we will be posting our progress and setting new goals with the following headings:

Jesse Oliver was a medic in Afghanistan, but back home in Pine Mountain he’s happy to switch gears as the Double Shot bar’s new sous chef. When his apartment floods and his old Army buddy offers the family’s dilapidated lake house as temporary quarters, Jesse thinks a little remodeling on the creaky duplex sounds like a fair return favor. That’s before he sets eyes on the gorgeous woman moving into the other side of the cabin—and discovers she’s his buddy’s kid sister, a.k.a totally off limits.

Kat McMarrin has fought hard for her space, and she’s not too interested in sharing it.

New York Times bestselling authors Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher are back with the much-anticipated, nail-biting sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Never, Never. “Never forget that I was your first real kiss. Never forget that you’ll be my last. And never stop loving me between all of them. Never stop, Charlie. Never forget.” Silas races against time as more truths unravel, while others twist tighter together. And now, the stakes are higher as Silas’ control slips and others begin to point fingers. Charlie is in trouble and he must be the one to bridge the chasm between their past and their present. Because somewhere between I love yous and Never Nevers and Never Agains, a truth they can't imagine, beckons to be found.

﻿I know my tastes in books have changed over the last few years but I wanted to share my top 10 favorites. The authors of these books are amazing writers and created great stories. Some of these are young adult novels for anyone to read while others are suited for a mature audience. Each book individually had a quality that just left me in awe. Some were published a few years ago while others are newer. I hope you check them out and love them as much as I did.

I received this ARC of Dragon’s Lair by Chantal Fernando from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Faye has always admired Dex and thought that he was out of reach, especially with their age difference. When Faye finds her boyfriend in bed with one of her friends she decides to head to a bar to find comfort. There she runs into Dex and spends a night with him. What follows leads her to be involved in a world of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club.

It’s not always that I find a book that can capture my attention on the first few pages and when I do it’s hard for me to put it down. Dragon’s Lair had me within the first few pages and kept my attention. All the characters were amazing. I wanted to veer of course and get into each of those biker’s worlds.

I felt like I couldn’t give this novel a higher rating because at times I felt like Faye’s banter was a little cheesy. I did enjoy the fact that she talked without thinking. It was also too easy for Faye to get those bikers to like her. There were also moments where the plot didn’t connect, like when time past.

Regardless I will be on the lookout for more novels from this author. Especially the ones involving the members of the Wind Dragons MC. I give Dragon’s Lair 3 out of 5 stars.

Former tennis player Easton Bradbury is trying to be the best teacher she can be, trying to reach her bored students, trying to forget her past. What brought her to this stage in her life isn’t important. She can’t let it be. But now one parent-teacher meeting may be her undoing…

Meeting Tyler Marek for the first time makes it easy for Easton to see why his son is having trouble in school. The man knows how to manage businesses and wealth, not a living, breathing teenage boy. Or a young teacher, for that matter, though he tries to. And yet…there is something about him that draws Easton in—a hint of vulnerability, a flash of attraction, a spark that might burn.

Wanting him is taboo. Needing him is undeniable. And his long-awaited touch will weaken Easton’s resolve—and reveal what should stay hidden…

It’s been exactly 1 year since I posted about Penelope Douglas and her amazing Fall Away Series. At the time she had 3 novels out and has since released two more, ending the series. I still remember when the cover of Bully caught my attention on Amazon. I started Bully not knowing what to expect and have found an amazing author. Every time I hear about a new book I wait in anticipation until it's release and I'm never disappointed. She creates these edgy characters that burrow themselves in your mind and won’t go away. Penelope Douglas needs to be on everyone’s author watch list.